Nilphamari: The government has given the green light to a substantial healthcare infrastructure project valued at Taka 2,459.34 crore aimed at establishing the 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital in Nilphamari. The decision, approved by the Executive Committee of the National Executive Committee (ECNEC), seeks to provide modern and specialized medical services to the northern region of Bangladesh, thereby alleviating the burden on hospitals in Dhaka and Rangpur.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the project, titled "Establishment of a 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital," will be financed with Taka 179.27 crore from government resources and Taka 2,280.07 crore from external sources, predominantly with assistance from the Chinese government. The project is set to be executed from January 2026 to December 2029 in Nilphamari sadar upazila under the Rangpur division.
Planning Commission officials emphasized that the hospital aims to offer integrated general and specialized services, including nephrology, cardiology, oncology, and neurology, addressing complex and chronic diseases effectively. Planning Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud described the hospital as a strategic initiative emerging from high-level discussions during the Chief Adviser's visit to China, where Chinese support for the project was affirmed.
Dr. Mahmud highlighted that the decision to establish the hospital in Nilphamari was part of a broader decentralization strategy, moving significant national facilities outside Dhaka. He pointed out that Nilphamari's location in the Rangpur region, often affected by poverty, made it a strategic choice, with Syedpur Airport's proximity enhancing accessibility. He also expressed optimism about attracting patients from neighboring countries due to the hospital's planned standards.
The project is expected to decentralize healthcare services, reducing the patient load on Rangpur and Dhaka hospitals, while providing critical emergency services, advanced diagnostics, and modern operation theatres. It also aims to support medical research, training, and human resource development, strengthening the health sector's overall capacity.
The hospital's infrastructure will include a 10-storey main building, doctors' quarters, dormitories for medical staff, a mosque, a kitchen, a waste management plant, and more, enhancing the region's healthcare landscape. Officials noted that Nilphamari's current facilities lack specialized services, resulting in referrals to distant hospitals, which the new project aims to mitigate.
The initiative is poised to improve healthcare access, reduce treatment costs, and diminish travel hardships for patients, ensuring equitable access to advanced healthcare services closer to home. The hospital is anticipated to emerge as a sustainable tertiary-level healthcare institution, addressing regional disparities in healthcare access and delivering quality medical services to millions in northern Bangladesh.